Hamas claims Bibas family – mother Shiri, 4-yr-old Ariel, and 10-month-old Kfir – died in IDF attack

The Hamas terror organization has claimed that three of the Bibas family members taken into captivity on Oct. 7 – mother Shiri, Ariel (4) and 10-month-old Kfir – were killed an Israeli airstrike while in captivity. 

The IDF spokesperson’s office released a statement on Wednesday saying they had been informed of Hamas’ statement regarding the Bibas family and would be assessing "the accuracy of the information.” 

The Bibas family, including 10-months-old Kfir, 4-year-old Ariel and their mother Shiri were abducted by Hamas on October 7.

Hamas must be held accountable.
Hamas must release all hostages immediately. pic.twitter.com/aizQ6M0Yp2

— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) November 29, 2023

“The barbarism and cruelty of Hamas is on full display to the world,” the statement said. “Hamas is wholly responsible for the security of all hostages in the Gaza Strip. Hamas must be held accountable. Hamas’ actions continue to endanger the hostages, which include nine children. Hamas must immediately release our hostages,” the IDF spokesperson's statement read.

The Bibas family in Israel released a statement acknowledging that they received report and are waiting for the IDF to confirm its accuracy. 

“Our family is updated on Hamas' latest publication. We are waiting for the report to be verified or hopefully refuted soon by military officials. We thank the people of Israel for their warm embrace but ask that our privacy be respected at this difficult time.”  

Shortly before Israel took control of Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, Hamas released a video claiming that captured IDF soldier Noa Marciano died from an Israeli airstrike. 

After the hospital was secured by the IDF, records were reportedly found indicating that Marciano was brought to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries but died while under the supervision of Hamas agents. 

IDF Arabic spokesman Avichai Adraee noted that, according to Hamas’ own communications during hostage negotiations, the terror group admitted the family was handed over to another terror group within the Gaza Strip. 

“Hamas used some of the abductees as a kind of asset and handed them over to other terror organizations, such as the Bibas family from Nir Oz,” Adraee said. He noted that some of those other organizations “are delaying the negotiations.” 

Pictures of baby Kfir have been posted all over the nation of Israel and shared widely on social media as an example of Hamas’ brutality. 

The children's uncle, Yossi Schneider, spoke to Hebrew news site Maariv, telling them, “The feelings are terrible. Every day, we hoped for the news that they would return home. Every day, we wait for the list and are very disappointed again.” 

“Even if expectations were low, we very much hoped that they would be on the list of those released,” Schneider said. “We are not dealing with an organized body like a state, but with a terrorist organization that plays psychological games.” 

Even before the temporary humanitarian ceasefire, the IDF warned families of captives not to believe any videos or statements from Hamas until they had been confirmed by official Israeli sources due to the potential of psychological warfare. 

The father, Yarden Bibas, is allegedly still alive and being held hostage in Gaza.